Remember Me
by Sam1999
Summary: Rue is only twelve when she is forced into the Hunger Games. She has to leave her five siblings and mother behind while she is put in an arena with physcotic tributes twice her size. It's time to see her side of the story.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Remember Me**

"Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be _ever _in your favour," Laufeia Odile exclaims. Generally I give people the benifit of the doubt but she is the most self centered person I have ever met. Her flurescent green hair reminds me of the leaves on the trees in the spring. Her face is pure white, her eye make up and lipstick is dark green and her blush is bright pink. "Ladies first," she says. As she approaches the crystal bowl she trips over her massive green dress. She stumbles but doesn't fall or push the bowl over. We all sigh. Thousands of girls names are in that bowl. I have five slips. I had to aply for tersaere four times when mother couldn't afford food.

"Now who will the lucky girl be," Laufeia exclaims. She sticks her hand into the bowl probing the slips of the girls names. All the girls including me hold our breaths hoping that it won't be us. Some of our parents do too. All five of my siblings do too. They aren't elidgible for the reaping yet and it's my first year. Laufeia opens the slip. "Rue Young," she shouts. My heart stops for a second and then begins to sink. I hear sobbing it's surely my mother, brothers and sister. No. Aviva, Evan, Jacob, Dallas and Orestes will have to watch. Its not fair on them. Orestes is the eldest of them and he is still only eight.

I step out of the area where all the other girls are.

"That's a girl, you don't have to be scared," Laufeia trys to comfort me as Peacekeepers come to escort me to the stage making sure I don't run. Laufeia's words where poorly chosen and make me feel worse. She is telling me not to be scared. But everyone is scared of death. No one isn't. When I get to the stage she smiles at me and shakes my hand. Sorrow clear in Chaff and Seeder's expressions. "Does any one want to volenteer to take the place of young Rue?" Laufeia asks. They only thing willing to take my place is a the wind. It blows through a pile of leaves and my eyes become blurry. I know I'm going to cry. After a few minutes Laufeia takes a slip from the boys bowl.

"The male tribute will be Thresh Amory," Laufeia shouts. My heart sinks futher still. I've seen him. His arms ar as thick as a tree branch. He has a strong build ans is twice as tall as me. I don't know him well. He might kill me to win or he might leave it to someone else. He wears a grave expression. He doesn't have much family left only his granny and sister. When he faces me his eyes are glassy as if he is about to cry. We shake hands his grip is firm but held back as if he is afraid to hurt me.

"District Eleven I give you your tributes," she screams at them. They are supposed to applaud but instead they stand in silence. When the Peacekeepers turn the guns on the children though everyone claps halfheartedly. Shortly after though they fall silent and drop their heads. In our district it's the final goodbye to cherished members of our community. I'm sure it's for me because Thresh's odds are way higher than mine.

The Peacekeepers practically shove us into the rundown Judgement Building. We are then lead to seperate rooms for our final goodbyes to our families. Only my mother comes.

"Where are the others?" I ask already knowing the answer.

"They couldn't come to say goodbye. They already felt as if they had lost you," she repies.

"Well tell them I said to take care and for them not to go on a rampage when I'm gone I don't want them to get in trouble with the Peacekeepers,"I manage to get out before I start sobbing. Mother wraps her arms around me and buries her face in my hair.

"Take care sweetheart. And please try and survive. No one will have the same knowledge as you and be careful who you trust," she whispers into my hair.

"Time to go," a Peacekeeper states firmly.

"Goodbye mother and take care," I shout just before the door closes. The next person to come in surprises me. "Caradoc what are you doing here?"

"I had to say goodbye and tell you that if you die it will rip my heart out," Caradoc says.

"You know I will die. I have no chance unless the gamemakers put us in a forest with nothing but melee combat weapons," I reply.

"Just try. For me," he murmurs.

"Always," I whisper in his ear. Tears come into his eyes. I hug him and he cries on my shoulder. I rub his back trying to make him stop crying. "Caradoc, will you keep an eye on Orestes he can be very vengful. Make sure he doesn't get in trouble witht he Peacekeepers,"I ask concerned.

"Of course I will," he says but I can see there is more he wants to say. His black eyes normally filled with happiness are now mirroring the horror and fear in my eyes.

"Time to go for the train," the Peacekeeper says.

"Look after yourself too don't do anything too rash,"I say quickly. The Peacekeeper grabs Caradoc's elbows behind his back and begins to pull him towards to door.

"No promises,"he replies. I rush over to him and kiss him on the cheek. He stops struggling and the door slams behind him. I'm alone. Another Peacekeepers escorts me into the tin van that will bring me and Thresh to the train. The train bringing us to the Capitol. I get a car with Seeder and Thresh gets a seperate one with Chaff.

"Are you alright dear?,"Seeder asks.

"Fine. Just a little shaken," I mumble. Still sad that I'm not likely to see my family or Caradoc again. Seeder is nice but I just want to be alone right now. I don't want to hurt her feelings. She seems to be following my thoughts.

"Look Rue I know you just want to be alone but you it's the worst thing right now. If you keep thinking you know your going to die you will give up in the arena and try to have a run in with the Careers,"Seeder explains.

"I know. It's just I want to go the feilds and sing to the mockingjay's," I sigh.

"I know but you will have to wait," Seeder says.

When we get to the train station there are people with cameras. I drop my head and stare at my dust covered sandals. They just want a picture the tributes. I get into the train as fast as I can. I walk through the compartments until I reach a door labelled 'Female Tribute'. I open the door and causiously step inside. I close the door and flop down on the bed. It is much softer than the bed I share with Aviva. The sheets may be thicker but the bed will be cold without Aviva's tiny frame beside me. I wish I could say "I'm home" but that would mean I'm in our tiny hut with my underweight siblings and mother.

I wish I could go home but I will only be back either a plain wooden box or full of guilt that I'm alive because people had died.

**Please tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Remember Me**

Soon there is a knock on my door. "Little girl it's time to eat,"came an unfamiliar voice from the door. I'm still wearing my pale green reaping outfit and like most things in this district there are small patches of mud.

"I'll be a couple of minutes,"I say back. I hear footsteps going down the train. There is a chest of drawers and a wardrobe. I go to the drawers and find some jeans and t-shirts. I take off the dress but keep my woven grass necklace with the wooden flower charm on because it's the only thing that reminds me of home. The jeans are a bit baggy and the t-shirt is a bit big.

I slip off my sandles and walked bear foot to the dining car. The sweet scent of different foods hits me before I even walk through the door my mouth begins to water. I haven't eaten very well all my life even though District 11 is Agriculture and my job is picking fruits in trees. I can climb thi highest because I'm the lightest person working the feilds so I reach the highest branches. I wish I was there right now I feel so alive when I'm in the trees and the wind is blowing and the mockingjays are flying beside me as I leap through the trees.

When I walk in Thresh is shoving a loaf of bread in his mouth, Laufeia is looking at him in discused and Seeder and Chaff are trying unsuccessfully to stop themselves from laughing. Thresh only stops eating when he sees me in the door. Everyone looks at me. Laufeia looks like she will faint.

"What?" I ask innocently.

"Why are you wearing jeans this is a day to be celebrated,"Laufeia chokes out.

I see Thresh pretending to choke her behind her back. I start giggling and Laufeia whips around just after he puts his hands on his lap. He looks at her innocently. Seeder, Chaff and I burst out laughing and Laufeia storms out of the room. She pushes me out of the way and I fall into a soft chair.

"What's with her?"I ask.

"She thinks all the tributes celebrate being taken from their homes and forced to kill," Seeder explains sorrow in her voice.

"Eat something little girl you should be hungry," Thresh says smiling.

"Well I'm used to it,"I say.

I sit down beside Thresh and eat some berries I recognize them but the Capitol seem to have enhanced the flavour. I eat a dark cresent shaped bread roll from our district. The I drink something called 'hot chocolate' it was delicous. I haven't eaten so much in ages. The Peacekeepers are really strict in our district and if take any of the harvest even if it's a small berry we get fifty lashes. Once a thirteen year old boy did but when he passed out after 20 everyone left because they knew he would die.

"Thresh, Rue before weget to the Capitol we need to discuss strategy for the arena,"Seeder starts.

"Yeah or you might end up like me,"Chaff says waving his arm stump in the air.

"Don't do that Chaff. You where just lookig for a fight. If they don't aggrivate the loose cannons in the Carrers they should be fine,"Seeder says. Chaff gives her a toothy grin. Seeder was his mentor after all. "Any way what are your strengths," Seeder asks looking at Thresh.

"I'm strong and use rocks for weapons,"he states simply,"What about you little girl?"

"Well I can climb and make sling shots,"I reply a little on edge.

"That would keep you out of the Careers reach because they're always too heavy to climb very far up trees,"Chaff says with a throaty laugh.

"Little girl will be like the birds,"Thresh says. He works in the orchards too sometimes but mostly heharvests grain. He must have seen me jumping through the trees one time. I couldn't help but blush no one has ever told me I looked like a bird.

"Thanks Thresh,"I say.

"The recaps are about to begin we should watch them,"Seeder says.

We go into another car with a TV, sofa and two chairs. I sit on the floor in front of the TV. The seal of Panem show and the anthem plays. Districts 1,2 and 4 are all huge tributes but none as tall as Thresh. The District 2 male Cato or something looks like a bit of a loose cannon. I'll be sure to avoid him. The one that catches my attention is District 12. A girl my age and height is chosen. She isn't even on the stage when her sister goes mad chasing after her and when she can't reach her sister she volenteers. Katniss was her name. The boy for twelve looks as if he's about to cry for some reason. Only he knows why but I'm sure we will find out in time.

"I'm going to bed,"I mumble tierd from todays events. Thresh follows me.

"Sweet dreams little bird,"Thresh says as I go into my room.

"You too Thresh. And my name's Rue,"I say. He just goes into his room which is opposite mine. He is like the older brother I never had. I take off my clothes and pull on some cotton pyjamas. The bed is too soft for me so I ask some one to bring me a hotwaterbottle. I pull a sheet onto the ground and put the bottle into a pillow and curl up on the floor. It almost feels as if I'm home in bed with little Aviva snuggled up beside me. The only difference is that my brothers aren't snoring in the background and mother isn't thrashing having a nightmare about how father died again.

**Tell me what you think about Rue and Thresh's relationship.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Remember Me**

I wake up to find Thresh is shaking me. I open my eyes but he doesn't stop.

"Thresh stop shaking me,"I say slightly groggy.

"Okay little bird but we're going to be in the Capitol soon,"Thresh says, "Why are you on the floor. Is little bird afraid of heights?"

"No it's just it reminds me of home sleeping down here,"I explain. He gives me an understanding look. He leaves so I can put the jeans back on but instead of going bear foot I pull on some purple sneakers. I go to the dining car and sit beside Thresh. He's shoving food in his mouth again. I take some toast and orange juice. I've had it a few times on special occassions. I put some syrup on the toast. It's really sweet and I down the juice. I'm still starving though. I take some berry pie. It's delicious.

When the Capitol comes into veiw Thresh and I go over to the window. Thresh just looks at it in disgust but I curiously look for the trees only finding there are short ones on some of the skyscrapers rooves. I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping to jump through some trees to calm myself. First we have to go to the Remake Center where some people will prepare us for the Opening Ceramony and the Tribute Parade. Thresh is in a separate room to me and for good reason. While they remove every out of place hair on my body I am forced to either wear nothing or a thin paper robe. Before I meet my stylist they take the paper robe and put it on the floor and leave.

My stylist Tabor comes in and surveys my for a number of minutes. His bright purple hair doesn't suit his dark skin tone and his green suit seems too extravagent and fancy to be casual. He leads me into a room where we sit down and have lunch. It's a yellow and green coloured soup that has various flovours I have never tasted before but it's delicous. I practically drink it and Tabor looks disgusted.

He hands me a pale blue silk blouse with short puffy sleeves, a denim dress that sits out at the hip and stops at my knees, a silver wirey hat and pale blue sandals. I think I am supposed to be a farmer but farmers don't dress like this. Tabor gives me a genuine smile as if I'm the most beautiful thing ever. I try to smile but all I manage is a grimace. I feel rediculous. I go down to the stables where our carrage awaits. Thresh is wearing a pale ble t-stirt and dungeree's that end at his knees. He is also wearing sandals.

Our horses are bays. I stroke one of their necks. As I wait the girl who volenteered for her sister walks out and stands beside her district partner. They both wearing black skin tight suits, black capes and what looks like flaming head dresses. Her make-up is very subtle.

The trumpets sound signilling the district 1 tributes to get in their carriages. The look like massive purple birds. Each district leaves in turn. As me and Thresh go out into the Capitol I see a fire out of the corner of my eye. I whip my head around to see the tributes behind us are on fire. They look panicked but it does't seemto be hurting them. I turn back around and face the crowd giving them the sweetest smile I can muster. The are applauding loudly but when the district 12 carriage follws pursuit the crowd goes wild. I see them on the big screen. They look dangerous yet oddly compelling.

We soon arrive at the City Circle. The president gives a speech I'm sure no-one is listening to and then we enter the training center. I go straight to the elavators and push the 11 button but before the doors close completely I see the tributes from 2 staring at her as if longing to kill her. When I arrive at our floor I stand at the end of a long corridor. There are five doors on each side. I walk until I find one with my name on it. I go inside and look for something to put on. I find some legginss and a t-shirt. They are comfortable and casual unlike most of the other stuff in this place. Most of the other things are ball gowns and mini dresses. Nothing suitable for someone my age.

There is a knock on the door.

"Come in,"I say. A person that looks oddly farmiliar walks in. I can't put my finger on who it is. "Who are you?" I ask curiously. They don't answer just look at me as if I have just asked the stupidest question in the world then their expression shifts as if they just realised something. They make the bed expertly as if they've done it for years and swiftly leave without saying a word. That was strange.

I walk down the hall to find some food. I find the dining room. Thresh is stuffing his face again. It's almost comical at how much he eats because we hardly ever get a good meal back home. I beam with joy. I grab an apple and take a bite of it. My teeth break the skin and sink into the flesh. The sweet sticky apple juice pours into my mouth quenching my thirst and ending my hunger. The apple has blood red skin but is pure white inside. Thresh still hasn't noticed I came in. He must be too busy wolfing down that turkey leg. The fat dripping off the leg, his hands and chin. My mouth is beginning to water. I haven't had meat in ages. I spot some chicken legs on a table. I grab some and ravinously chew. I would have swallowed them whole of it weren't for the bone. It tastes sensational.

"I've never seen a little girl eat so much," Thresh comments.

"Well there has never been so much food for us to eat beefore," I reply almost bitterly.

"I know but they will when my little bird wins,"Thresh says a hard and distant look in his eyes.

"You know I have the slimest chance of survival. You are more likely to win and what would you granny and siter do without you?" I say. He just tenses which makes him look very dangerous. He usually looks like a big friendly giant.

"Little girl is too young to die. My family can handle themselves without me,"Thresh says through clenched teeth. I decide I should leave it there just in case I strike another nerve. "Little girl. Could you try and win. For me?"

"I will try for you. Your like the big brother I never had and I thank you for your kindness,"I say gratefully. He seems to brighten at this. He gives me a huge smile showing all his perfect white teeth that could easily sink into someones skin.

"And little girl is like little sister I never had," he says still smiling at me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Remember Me**

Today is the first day of training. Great. The other tributes chucking knives and spears at targets hacking things to peices with swords and axes. What will I do. I'm not strong enough to swing a sword or throw a spear, I already have a vast knoledge of edible and medical plants and I probably won't be able to get knives or a bow in the arena. That rules out half the stations. I could go to snares, camoflage, knot tieing or climbing.

I get up and go to the dining room. Thresh is there. He looks exausted I wonder why.

"What's wrong with you?" I ask genuinely concerned. He just shrugs and continues picking at a pile of crumbs which I assume used to be a muffin. I just take a mug of hot chocolate with some marshmallows floating on the top. I've never had them but I saw them once in the small sweet shop in town.

"Rue. Don't let evryone intimidate you. They may be bigger than you but that just makes them overconfident," Thresh says still poking at his mound.

"Don't worry they don't. Except the boy from two,"I reassure him. He cheers up slighty but I guess he's worried about what I said about that boy. We just eat in silence and go back to our rooms to change for training. A black red and grey skin tight jumpsuit and boots. The jumpsuit is a bit too tight and the boots are a size or two too big. When I go the the elavator that will bring us to the training room Thresh is waiting. The outfit just makes his muscles more prominant and him more threatening. He gives me one more smile before his emotionles mask takes it's place.

The elavator comes and Laufeia isn't here. Usually I would be scared but I have Thresh beside me. We get inside the shaft and wait as the doors close.

I'm not scared of any of the other tributes except maybe the boy from two. Thresh told me his name was Cato. My father once told me it meant good judgement. That was a long time ago before the accident... I don't even want to think about that right now. It's bad enough without thinking about that day. That reched day when he left me. My vision of the elavator blurs.

Suddenly I'm three not twelve and back in our three room hut. My fathers leafy green eyes look at me affectionatly. No one except maybe Caradoc. My eyes are becoming blurry again.

"Daddy promise you won't leave us,"I had begged him so many years ago.

"I promise,"he had said as he begins to fade the last thing I see from then is my fathers back and my smallarms around his neck. When I return to the present I'm on the floor with my back against the wall and my knees up to my chest. I slowly stand.

"You alright you sorta blanked out for a second,"Thresh sounds genuinely concerned but it's not surprising.

"Yeah just a bad memory,"I say. He understands what I mean he was there. The doors open. No one is here except the trainers and Careers. They seem to find amusement from me being with Thresh. I stand about half a meter away from Thresh. It will help him look intimadating if I stand close to him but he might look weak because I'm at least two years younger than everyone else. Cato approaches him. Thresh is a head taller but that doesn't phase him.

"I was thinking eleven why not join us,"Cato says confidently assuming Thresh will accept. Thresh just stares at him nonresponsivly.

"Why should I?"Thresh responds as innocently(as innocent as a seven foot tall muscular man could I mean). Cato seems taken aback. I hold back a giggle I'm afraid that if I don't Cato will rip me limb from limb.

"If you don't you'll last about as long as 'Fire Girl',"Cato sneers spinning on his heel and walking away.

"That showed him,"I say only loud enough for Thresh to hear. His deep comforting laugh surrounds me.

"But it's not over. Not yet anyway,"he says a dark shadow falling over her face.

"I know he's determined to win and it helps to have the strongest alliance in the games," I reflect. Apparently six massive tributes isn't enough for him.

"Yeah if only he would ask you although if he dose don't go,"Thresh seems to be reflecting as well.

The district twelve tributes come in and then a trainer tells us all the stations. The only three that I will be remotly good at are climbing, edible plants and snares. My fingers are so small I can tie small knots to make complicated snares but I don't eat that much meat. Thresh goes to some of the biggest weapons first. I just climb so I can get a closer look at everyone. There is something strange about the district twelve tributes. The boy doesn't seem to want to leave Katniss (or something) alone and Katniss keeps looking longingly at the archery station but never seems to go over to it.

Cato just like showing off. Over and over again he keeps hacking practice dummies to peices with his broad sword. His district partner is the some only shorter and efficient with knives. She has mastered the art and hits the target every time no matter how fast they move or how far away the are. Fortuneatly District 1 isn't as skilled. The girl can't throw knives or spears. She can't hold a sword stable long enough to make a clean cut through the plastic and her aim for archery is terrible. The boy is slightly better but all he can use is a spear I just hope I will never be on the receiving end of one.

I have decided to test my agility and speed out. Cato is at the knife throwing. I dangle upside down behind him when I think no one is looking. He grips the blade of the knife and readys himself to throw it. When it's behind his head I grab the handle and pull myself back to the ceiling. He seems dazed. I leap away from him and when I'm a safe distance I turn back to look at him. He's punching a small tribute my age. Five Peacekeepers come out and try to pry his fingers off the young boy without any success. Another Peacekeeper comes out and tasers him. He doesn't even flinch. The Peacekeeper goes and gets a larger peice of equitment. I recognize it from school when we where learning about District 10. It's a cattle prod.

The Peacekeeper presses several buttons simutaniously and the end begins to glow with electricity. They press sevral more buttons and a bolt of elecricity jumps out of the cattle prod. Cato seems to glow for a second twitching slightly. A female peace keeper pulls the boy from underneath Cato as the massive Career goes limp still thrashing uncontrolably. No one goes with in a 3 meter radius untill he goes still. It takes 7 people to drag him out of the room. Everyone stares after him except Katniss. She seems to not care less that it took so many people and two highly charged weapons to take him down. Her hands just carry on tieng complicated knots.

For the rest of the day I follow them about seeing if they show any skill witha weapon. The boy hit a spear holder thing with a 50kg metal ball twenty feet away and Katniss is pretty good at the knife throwing. I think the boy had spotted me but I wouldn't be surprised I'm not exactly the stealthiest of people.


End file.
